Max Planck researchers trace gas clouds feeding Sagittarius A* to binary star system
Updated
Updated · Universe Today · Apr 23
Max Planck researchers trace gas clouds feeding Sagittarius A* to binary star system
7 articles · Updated · Universe Today · Apr 23
Using ESO's Very Large Telescope, the team identified IRS 16SW, a massive contact binary, as the origin of gas clouds G1, G2, and G2t near the Galactic center.
These clouds, each with about one Earth mass, are formed by stellar winds and shocks from IRS 16SW, periodically drifting inward to fuel Sagittarius A*'s activity.
This discovery clarifies how the supermassive black hole sustains itself and suggests that similar stellar interactions may produce more such gas streamers, deepening our understanding of galactic core dynamics.
Could similar stellar pairs be the secret fuel source for black holes in other galaxies?
If our galaxy's black hole is starving, why is this 'drip-feed' from a star duo so important?
How do stellar winds transform into distinct 'gas bullets' aimed at a colossal black hole?
Is this binary star the only thing feeding Sagittarius A*, or are other sources still hidden?
A gas cloud will near our black hole in 2031; what cosmic fireworks should we expect?
How Colliding Winds from IRS 16SW Sustain the Milky Way’s Black Hole with Decadal Gas Clumps
Overview
Astronomers solved the mystery of compact gas clouds near the Milky Way's central black hole by tracing their origin to the massive binary star system IRS 16SW. Powerful stellar winds from this binary collide, creating dense gas clumps that fall toward the black hole along similar orbits. These clumps, produced roughly every 10 to 20 years, provide a steady fuel supply that sustains the black hole's low-level activity. As the clumps approach, tidal forces stretch and disrupt them, allowing their gas to be accreted. This discovery reveals a continuous, star-driven feeding process for supermassive black holes, with important implications for galactic centers beyond our own.